Wellacre Honours Remembrance Day

Students participate in a Remembrance activities

Wellacre students participated in a variety of Remembrance activities in the week leading up to Armistice Day on 11th November.

Across the school students created 610 poppies to represent and commemorate all the soldiers from Flixton and Urmston who have lost their lives and are named on local memorials. Miss Niebel, Assistant Leader of Creative Technologies, with the support of Year 10 Owen, has installed a fantastic display in school with the poppies and where students and staff can visit to pay their respects.

Mrs O'Neill, Leader of Humanities, delivered two Remembrance assemblies, focusing on local stories of heroism. Students learnt about the Baumber brothers from Flixton who both died in World War 1. Their story was shared, and students paused in reflection.

In addition, Year 9 students had the opportunity to interview a WW1 soldier through a video call with the National Archives. The unique learning activity saw the students research the life of Private Henry Fairhurst, a real soldier who fought in the war. With an actor bringing the character of Henry alive, students then had the opportunity to meet and interview him about his life in the trenches and experience of warfare.

Mr Gillan, Teacher of Humanities, said:

“Thanks to the National Archives for enabling our students to learn in this way. Students were curious to know all about what Private Henry ate, how he received letters and parcels, what an average day involved, illnesses he suffered such as trench foot, and his reasons for joining the war. The experience was even more enriching when Henry demonstrated his gas-mask and how to assemble and fire his rifle.”